ALPA Statement on New FAA Guidelines for
Inflight Use of Personal Electronic Devices

WASHINGTON—The Air Line Pilots Association,
Int’l (ALPA), issued the following statement on today’s announcement by the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding
new guidelines that expand inflight use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) during commercial flights. As
members of the FAA’s Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), ALPA safety
representatives contributed their expertise to help create the expanded
guidelines.

“ALPA has consistently
supported the expanded inflight use of PEDs, as long as it can be shown to be
safe—this was ALPA’s goal in participating and remains our top priority. Use of
PEDs must be free of any interference with onboard systems and with crewmembers’
ability to perform their safety duties. We believe that PEDs, like other loose
items in the cabin, need to be stowed for takeoff and landing to ensure safety,
and we are encouraged by the FAA’s emphasis of that need.

“While we applaud the
FAA’s view that PED use must be shown to be safe before being allowed, we remain
concerned that relying on passengers to selectively turn off their devices in
areas of extremely poor weather is not a practical solution. We urge passengers
to realize the potential seriousness of using a device at a time when any
crewmember—pilot or flight attendant—has advised them that it is unsafe to do
so.

“ALPA remains
committed to the safe operation of aircraft at all times, and as such, we stand
ready to continue our collaboration with airlines, other industry partners, and
regulators to ensure that as PED use is gradually phased in, it is done with
safety as the top priority.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest
pilot union, representing nearly 50,000 pilots at 32 airlines in the United
States and Canada.